JP5321064B2 - Base member cleaning method and base member cleaning device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a base member cleaning method and a base member cleaning apparatus used for extruding a ceramic honeycomb structure.

  A ceramic honeycomb structure used for purifying exhaust gas discharged from an automobile engine is a plastic ceramic clay made of ceramic powder, a pore former, a forming aid such as a binder, water, etc. A ceramic honeycomb structure forming die member 50 as shown in FIGS. 4 (a) to 4 (c) is extruded, dried and fired. In the extrusion molding, the ceramic clay is introduced into the molding die member 50 from the clay supply hole 51 and discharged from the molding groove 52 as a honeycomb structure.

  Since the forming groove of the die member is very narrow, when the extrusion molding of the honeycomb structure is repeatedly performed, the die member forming groove is clogged with foreign matters in the ceramic clay and uneven portions with high hardness. If molding is performed using a die member in which such foreign substances or the like are accumulated, the quality of the honeycomb structure is deteriorated, and thus the die member needs to be periodically cleaned. When cleaning the die member, it is necessary to remove the ceramic clay clogged in the clay supply holes and the forming grooves together with the foreign matters and the high hardness non-uniform portions. For this reason, a method of cleaning by jetting high-pressure water only from the clay supply hole side or a method of cleaning by jetting only from the molding groove side has been conventionally performed.

  However, since the ceramic clay contains an organic binder, it is difficult to perform sufficient cleaning by a method in which high-pressure water is injected only from the clay supply hole side or from the molding groove side. That is, when cleaning is performed by jetting high-pressure water from the clay supply hole side, the ceramic clay clogged in the forming groove cannot be completely removed. On the other hand, when cleaning is performed by injecting high-pressure water from the side of the molding groove, it is necessary to reduce the pressure of the high-pressure water for cleaning so as not to cause defects such as deformation or breakage of the fine molding groove of the cap member. Therefore, sufficient cleaning could not be performed, and much time was required for cleaning.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-285014 discloses a method in which a die member to which a molding material is adhered is heated to 200 to 500 ° C. to remove an organic binder contained in the molding material, and then a fluid is applied to the die member at a pressure of 40 kg / cm ² or less. Discloses a method of cleaning a die member by removing the molding material by spraying on the nozzle. However, the cleaning method described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-285014 has a problem in that the die member is deformed when heated to 200 to 500 ° C. and a desired forming groove width cannot be obtained. This effect is particularly significant in the case of a base member for forming a large molded body having an outer diameter of 200 mm or more.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a base member cleaning method and a cleaning device capable of removing a molding material containing a binder adhered to a base member with high efficiency without damaging or deforming the base member. .

  As a result of diligent research in view of the above object, the present inventors have sprayed high pressure fluid from both sides of the base material supply hole side and the molding groove side of the base member to perform high pressure cleaning without damaging or deforming the base member. The inventors have found that a molding material containing a binder can be removed with high efficiency, and have arrived at the present invention.

That is, in the method for cleaning a base member of the present invention, after the base member having a forming groove and a ceramic clay supply hole communicating with the forming groove is used for forming a ceramic clay containing a binder, the base member A method of cleaning a base member that removes the ceramic clay containing the binder attached to the groove , wherein the width of the forming groove is 0.1 to 0.5 mm, the groove pitch is 1.0 to 1.8 mm, and the diameter of the supply hole is 1 to After the high pressure fluid is sprayed at a pressure of 8 to 20 MPa substantially perpendicularly to the surface on the supply hole side of the base member, the high pressure fluid is approximately 1 to approximately perpendicular to the surface on the molding groove side of the base member. It is characterized by spraying at a pressure of 5 MPa.

  After the high pressure fluid is sprayed on the forming groove, it is preferable that the high pressure fluid is further sprayed on the supply hole.

Cleaning apparatus of the mouthpiece member of the present invention, a die member having a moldable-ceramic-material-supplying holes communicating to the forming groove and forming groove, after used for molding the moldable ceramic material containing a binder, adhering to the die member A base member cleaning apparatus for removing the ceramic clay containing the binder, wherein the base member holding mechanism, the high pressure fluid nozzle, the air blowing nozzle , the nozzle moving mechanism , and the high pressure fluid nozzle are used as the base member. A mechanism for removing the ceramic clay by blowing a high-pressure fluid substantially perpendicularly to the surface on the supply hole side or the surface on the molding groove side of the base member while moving relatively to the base member, and the air blow nozzle to the base member a mechanism for removing the fluid is blown substantially perpendicularly to the high-pressure air to the surface or forming the groove-side surface of the supply hole side of the die member relatively moved while for the mouthpiece Holding mechanism is characterized in that the inversion.

  The nozzle moving mechanism is preferably a mechanism using a servo motor, a ball screw or an LM guide.

The base member and the base member holding mechanism are arranged in a booth, the nozzle moving mechanism is arranged outside the booth, and the inside of the booth and the nozzle moving mechanism are separated by a flexible sheet. Is preferred.

  By the cleaning method and the cleaning apparatus of the present invention, the molding material containing the binder attached to the base member can be removed with high efficiency without damaging or deforming the base member.

It is a schematic diagram which shows an example of the washing | cleaning apparatus of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows an example of the nozzle | cap | die holding | maintenance mechanism of the washing | cleaning apparatus of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows an example of the nozzle moving mechanism of the washing | cleaning apparatus of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the supply hole side of a nozzle | cap | die member used for the washing | cleaning method of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the shaping | molding groove side of the nozzle | cap | die member used for the washing | cleaning method of this invention. It is a schematic cross section which shows the nozzle | cap | die member used for the washing | cleaning method of this invention in parallel to the axial direction of a supply hole.

[1] Method of cleaning a base member The base member cleaning method of the present invention uses a base member having a molding groove and a ceramic clay supply hole communicating with the molding groove for molding a ceramic clay containing a binder. A method for cleaning a base member that removes the ceramic clay containing the binder attached to the base member after the forming groove has a width of 0.1 to 0.5 mm, a groove pitch of 1.0 to 1.8 mm, and the supply The diameter of the hole is 1 to 2 mm, and after spraying high-pressure fluid at a pressure of 8 to 20 MPa almost perpendicularly to the surface on the supply hole side of the base member, the surface is almost perpendicular to the surface on the molding groove side A high pressure fluid is sprayed at a pressure of 1 to 5 MPa.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 (a) to 4 (c), the base member has a large number of fine forming grooves, and has a clay supply hole communicating with the forming grooves. Since the forming groove is composed of a large number of fine grooves, it may be deformed when a high-pressure fluid is sprayed. On the other hand, since the supply holes are formed at a wider interval than the interval between the molding grooves, the strength is higher than that at the molding groove side. Therefore, by removing a large portion of the ceramic clay adhering to the base member by spraying the high-pressure fluid on the supply hole side first, the molding groove side can be easily cleaned and deformation of the molding groove can be prevented.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the supply hole of the base member has a large opening compared to the molding groove, so that high pressure fluid is blown at a pressure higher than the pressure blown into the molding groove, so that the ceramic The soil can be washed easily. Also, by washing the supply hole side with high-pressure fluid first, most of the ceramic clay adhering to the base member can be removed, and the molding groove side can be cleaned with a relatively low pressure fluid. Therefore, deformation of the forming groove can be prevented.

  Even after cleaning from the supply hole side and cleaning from the forming groove, ceramic clay may remain in the forming groove or in the supply hole in some cases. Thus, the base member can be reliably cleaned. Further thereafter, the surface on the molding groove side may be washed again.

The pressure of the high-pressure fluid sprayed substantially perpendicular to the plane of the supply hole side and 8 to 20 MPa. When the pressure is 8 to 20 MPa, cleaning can be performed without deforming the base member. When the pressure is less than 7 MPa, the clay clogged in the base member is insufficiently washed, and when the pressure exceeds 20 MPa, the base member may be deformed. The pressure of the high-pressure fluid sprayed to the supply hole is more preferably 8 to 15 MPa.

The pressure of the high-pressure fluid sprayed substantially perpendicular to the plane of the forming groove side is set to 1 to 5 MPa. When the pressure is 1 to 5 MPa, cleaning can be performed without deforming the base member. When the pressure is less than 1 MPa, the clay clogged in the base member becomes insufficiently washed, and when the pressure exceeds 5 MPa, the base member may be deformed. The pressure of the high-pressure fluid sprayed on the forming groove is more preferably 2.5 to 5 MPa.

The width of the molding groove and 0.1 to 0.5 mm. When the width of the molding groove is 0.1 to 0.5 mm, when the high-pressure fluid flows through the molding groove, the clay adhering to the molding groove can be reliably washed. When the width of the molding groove is less than 0.1 mm, it is difficult for the high-pressure fluid to flow through the molding groove, and the cleaning efficiency is lowered. On the other hand, if the width of the forming groove exceeds 0.5 mm, the distance between the forming groove and the forming groove is narrowed, so that the strength of the base member is lowered, and the base member may be deformed when spraying a high-pressure fluid.

Diameter of the feed holes is a 1 to 2 mm. When the diameter of the supply hole is 1 to 2 mm, when the high-pressure fluid flows through the supply hole, the clay adhering to the forming groove can be reliably washed. When the diameter of the supply hole is less than 1 mm, it is difficult for the high-pressure fluid to flow through the supply hole, and the cleaning efficiency decreases. On the other hand, when the diameter of the supply holes exceeds 2 mm, the distance between the supply holes is narrowed, so that the strength of the base member is lowered, and the base member may be deformed when the high-pressure fluid is sprayed.

[2] the cleaning apparatus of the mouthpiece member of the cleaning apparatus invention of the base member, use a die member having a moldable-ceramic-material-supplying holes communicating to the forming groove and forming groove, the forming of the ceramic puddle containing a binder A base member cleaning device for removing the ceramic clay containing the binder attached to the base member, the base member holding mechanism, the high pressure fluid nozzle, the air blow nozzle , the nozzle moving mechanism , A mechanism for removing the ceramic clay by blowing the high-pressure fluid substantially perpendicularly to the surface on the supply hole side or the surface on the molding groove side of the base member while the high-pressure fluid nozzle moves relative to the base member; and While the air blowing nozzle moves relative to the base member, high pressure air is blown substantially perpendicularly to the surface on the supply hole side or the surface on the molding groove side of the base member to remove the fluid. Comprising a structure, the mouthpiece member holding mechanism is characterized in that the inverting

  Since the high-pressure fluid surely flows into the supply hole and the molding groove of the base member by the cleaning device having the above-described mechanism, the adhered clay can be reliably cleaned.

Die-member-holding mechanism shall be reversed. By reversing the cap member holding mechanism, it is not necessary to hold the cap member again on the cap member holding mechanism when the high pressure fluid is sprayed to the forming groove after the high pressure fluid is sprayed to the supply hole. For this reason, once the base member is set in the base member holding mechanism, the high-pressure fluid can be sprayed onto the supply hole and the high-pressure fluid onto the forming groove can be continuously and efficiently performed.

  The moving mechanism of the nozzle is preferably a mechanism using a servo motor, a ball screw or an LM guide. By using a servo motor, ball screw, or LM guide for the nozzle movement mechanism, the movement of the nozzle is not uneven, and high-pressure fluid can be accurately sprayed onto the supply holes and molding grooves, and the clay adhering to the base member can be removed. It can be washed reliably.

The base member and the base member holding mechanism are arranged in a booth, the nozzle moving mechanism is arranged outside the booth, and the inside of the booth and the nozzle moving mechanism are separated by a flexible sheet. preferable. By adopting such a configuration, the fluid and clay scattered when the high-pressure fluid is sprayed on the base member do not adhere to the nozzle moving mechanism, so that troubles such as failure can be prevented.

  As the fluid used for washing, water, water vapor, an organic solvent such as alcohol, a water / alcohol mixed solvent, or the like can be used, but water or water vapor is preferable.

[3] Ceramic clay As the ceramic raw material, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, cordierite, alumina, mullite, silicon nitride, sialon, silicon carbide, aluminum nitride, zirconia, aluminum titanate and the like can be used. The cleaning method of the present invention is effective for a die member after extrusion using a ceramic clay containing a binder such as methyl cellulose and hydroxypropoxyl methyl cellulose and water in these ceramic raw materials. Since the ceramic clay containing these organic binders adheres firmly to the die member, it is difficult to clean by a normal method. If necessary, a pore-forming agent such as a surfactant and carbon may be added to the ceramic clay.

[4] Examples The present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the following examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

Reference example 1
A cordierite-producing raw material powder containing 50% by mass of SiO ₂ , 35% by mass of Al ₂ O ₃ and 15% by mass of MgO is prepared by preparing kaolin, talc, silica, and alumina powders, and methylcellulose as a binder Further, graphite was added as hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, a lubricant, and a pore-forming agent, and after kneading sufficiently with a dry method, water was added and sufficient kneading was performed to prepare a plasticized ceramic clay. Extrusion molding of this clay was performed using a die member with a groove width of 0.3 mm, a groove pitch of 1.5 mm, and a feed hole diameter of 1.5 mm as shown in FIGS. 4 (a) to 4 (b). Then, a formed article having a ceramic honeycomb structure was formed.

  The base member used for extrusion molding was cleaned using a base member cleaning apparatus 1 as shown in FIG. The base member cleaning apparatus 1 includes a base 19, a table 11 installed on the base 19, a base member setting jig 13 for setting the base member 50 disposed on the table 11, and a table 11 A base member holding mechanism 10 composed of the motor 12, a pedestal 29, a guide 24 installed on the pedestal 29, a nozzle 23 composed of a high-pressure fluid nozzle 21 and an air blow nozzle 22 disposed on the guide 24, The guide 24 includes a nozzle moving mechanism 20 including motors 25 and 26 attached to the upper and lower ends of the guide 24, and a booth 31 covering the base member holding mechanism 10. The portion of the booth 31 where the nozzle 23 is inserted is attached with a vinyl cover 34 connecting the nozzle 23 and the booth 31 so that the cleaning fluid and the washed clay adhere to the nozzle moving mechanism 20. In addition, the nozzle 23 can be moved. The base member 50 is fixed by a base member setting jig 13 disposed on the table 11 as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the nozzle 23 is movable in the vertical direction by the motor 25 and in the horizontal direction by the motor 26. The waste liquid after washing is discharged from the drain port 33.

  First, the base member 50 was set on the base member setting jig 13 so that the surface of the base member 50 on the side of the clay supply hole faces substantially perpendicular to the nozzle 23 of the nozzle moving device 20. Next, (a) a high-pressure fluid containing water is ejected from the high-pressure fluid nozzle 21 (nozzle diameter 2 mm) of the nozzle moving device 20 at a pressure of 6 MPa and sprayed to the supply hole 51 of the base member 50. However, the nozzle 21 was relatively moved in the horizontal direction for cleaning. (b) When the horizontal cleaning was completed, the nozzle 21 was moved in the vertical direction, and cleaning was performed while relatively moving in the horizontal direction opposite to the previous one. The operations of (a) and (b) were repeated to clean the entire surface of the base member 50 on the side of the clay supply hole. Next, the table 11 was inverted and set so that the surface of the die member on the side of the forming groove faced the nozzle 23 of the nozzle moving device 20 substantially perpendicularly. Then, the high-pressure fluid was jetted from the high-pressure fluid nozzle 21 to the forming groove 52 at a pressure of 0.9 MPa, and the surface on the forming groove side was cleaned in the same manner as the surface on the clay supply hole side. The distance between each face of the base member and the nozzle was 200 mm.

Examples 1 to 17, Reference Examples 2 to 8, and Comparative Examples 3 to 5
The die member used for extrusion molding was washed in the same manner as in Reference Example 1, except that the shape of the die member, the pressure of the high-pressure fluid during washing, and the washing contents were changed as shown in Table 1. In Table 1, “supply hole → molding groove → supply hole” described in the cleaning method of Reference Example 7 is again supplied with clay after cleaning of the surface of the supply hole and cleaning of the surface of the molding groove side. This means that the surface on the hole side has been cleaned, and “supply hole → molding groove → supply hole → molding groove” described in the cleaning method of Reference Example 8 is followed by cleaning the surface on the molding groove side again. Means that

Comparative Example 1
The shape of the base member, the pressure of the high-pressure fluid at the time of cleaning, and the content of cleaning were changed as shown in Table 1, and used for extrusion molding in the same manner as in Example 1 except that cleaning was performed only from the molding groove side. The base member was cleaned. Comparative Example 1 is a conventional high-pressure cleaning method.

Comparative Example 2
The shape of the base member, the pressure of the high-pressure fluid at the time of cleaning, and the content of cleaning were changed as shown in Table 1, and were used for extrusion molding in the same manner as in Example 1 except that cleaning was performed only from the supply hole side. The base member was cleaned. Comparative Example 2 is a conventional high-pressure cleaning method.

Evaluation of cleaning property The molding groove and the supply hole of the base member after the cleaning were visually observed, and the presence or absence of the cleaning residue was examined. Detergency was evaluated according to the following criteria. The results are shown in Table 1.
No cleaning residue ... ○
There is a little washing residue, but there is no problem even if it is used for extrusion molding ... △
Uncleanable items that cannot be used for extrusion molding

Evaluation of Deformation of Base Member Deformation of the base member after cleaning was evaluated as follows. The results are shown in Table 1.
No deformation of the base member ... ○
Although there is some deformation of the base member, there is no problem even if it is used for extrusion molding ... △
Cannot be used for extrusion molding due to deformation of the base member ... ×

Table 1 (continued)

Table 1 (continued)

Table 1 (continued)

As shown in Table 1, it can be seen that Examples 1 to 17 which were cleaned by the method of the present invention were cleaned with almost no deformation of the base member. On the other hand, the base members of Comparative Examples 1 to 5 could not be used for extrusion molding due to residual cleaning or deformation.

Claims (5)

After the die member having the molding groove and the ceramic clay supply hole communicating with the molding groove is used for forming the ceramic clay containing the binder, the ceramic clay containing the binder attached to the die member is used. A method of cleaning a base member to be removed,
The molding groove has a width of 0.1 to 0.5 mm, a pitch of 1.0 to 1.8 mm, a diameter of the supply hole of 1 to 2 mm, and a high-pressure fluid of 8 to 20 substantially perpendicular to the surface of the base member on the supply hole side. A method of cleaning a die member, characterized by spraying a high-pressure fluid at a pressure of 1 to 5 MPa substantially perpendicularly to the surface of the die member on the molding groove side after spraying at a pressure of MPa. 2. The cleaning method for a cap member according to claim 1, wherein after the high-pressure fluid is sprayed on the forming groove, the high-pressure fluid is further sprayed on the supply hole. After the die member having the forming groove and the ceramic clay supply hole communicating with the forming groove is used for forming the ceramic clay containing the binder, the ceramic clay containing the binder attached to the die member is used. A device for cleaning a base member to be removed, comprising a base member holding mechanism, a nozzle for high pressure fluid, an air blow nozzle, a moving mechanism for the nozzle, and a high pressure fluid while the nozzle for high pressure fluid moves relative to the base member. A mechanism for removing ceramic clay by spraying the nozzle member substantially perpendicularly to the surface on the supply hole side or the surface on the molding groove side of the base member, and high-pressure air while the air blowing nozzle moves relative to the base member In which the fluid is removed by spraying the nozzle member substantially perpendicularly to the surface on the supply hole side or the surface on the molding groove side of the base member, and the base member holding mechanism is reversed. Cleaning device mouthpiece member. 4. The base member cleaning apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the nozzle moving mechanism is a mechanism using a servo motor, a ball screw, or an LM guide. The base member cleaning apparatus according to claim 3 or 4 , wherein the base member and the base member holding mechanism are disposed in a booth, the moving mechanism of the nozzle is disposed outside the booth, and the booth and the nozzle. The moving mechanism is separated by a flexible sheet.

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